Technical Field
The invention relates to a retaining element for securing a connector screw, which can be secured in a threaded bushing that is embedded in the bottom of a camera housing. It also relates to a connector screw provided with such a retaining element, and finally also to a connector for connecting a carrying strap to a camera, which contains such a connector screw with a retaining element.
Background Information
For many years, photo cameras and also video cameras have been equipped with threaded bushings embedded in the bottom of their respective camera housings, which were originally arranged and conceived for connecting the camera to a tripod using a tripod screw for securing. The corresponding threaded bushings are still used for this purpose. However, a further option for using these threaded bushings has recently been established, in which connectors are provided with suitable connector screws for the connection to carrying straps. A correspondingly equipped transport system for cameras is described, for example, in WO 2008/131135 A1.
In the case of the camera transport system shown there, a connector screw is screwed into the threaded bushing originally provided for the connection of a tripod screw on the bottom of a camera housing, and the connector connected to the connector screw is provided with carrying straps to be worn transversally over the torso or perpendicularly over the shoulder. With this way of carrying, the camera then hangs sideways on the user's body, and the entire weight of the camera is born by the connection between the threaded bushing and the connector screw. This weight can amount to several kilograms, especially when SLRs having larger lenses with higher focal length are used. In addition, if the camera transport system disclosed in the cited document is used, the screw connection formed is exposed to further strain by movements of the user when walking or also during the use of the camera for taking pictures; transverse movements, jogging movements and the like occur in such cases.
These movements can then result in the connector screw that has been screwed into the threaded bushing at the bottom of the camera housing, becoming loose. If this happens and if the connector screw is completely detached from the threaded bushing, in the worst case the camera attached to the transport system can drop down and hit the ground and be damaged. Considering the costs of high-quality cameras and lenses, in such a case a considerable financial loss, easily amounting to several thousand euros, can arise very quickly. Accordingly, said screw connection has to be made particularly secure.
To date, for the purpose of securing this connection, only elastic washers are used, which are placed between a cantilever section at the head part of the connector screw and the bottom of the camera housing and which upon tightening of the connector screw apply a compressive force directed against the screwing direction and thus make for an additional wedging of the threads of the connector screw in the corresponding counter threads of the threaded bushing. However, it has now turned out that, in particular in a situation in which the user of the camera support system runs quickly, this safeguard is not sufficient to deal with the violent up and down movements and impacts or shocks, and the connector screw will still become unscrewed from the threaded bushing.